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Saturday, December 19, 2009

Last night at 8:30pm, I was shopping for video cables at Best Buy in preparation for ABSOLUTION when I received that call that all producers dread:

"...I'm so sorry, but there's been a schedule mix-up. There's a Christmas party that has been booked for 3 months which I forgot about when I gave you this date. I'm really sorry..."

This left me exactly three and a half hours to find and book another venue for our weekly party, and get it in shape for our night. Impossible? No Way.

The main thing is not to panic. Follow the steps. First, have a back-up plan. I followed my plan and called a venue which has been friendly and reliable to us in the past, UC87@87 Ludlow St. Luckily, they had no regular party booked. We worked out a deal where we would take the upstairs, which was decorated very prettily for Christmas(bonus!). Next, I made sure working DJ equipment would be there, opting to bring my own set-up.

Rushing home, I began to edit the website and put the word out about the venue change on the networking sites. I use a site that lets me post to all the networking sites at once. Jason threw the flyer into Photoshop and chopped out the address, and I re-uploaded it to the site, making an annotation about the venue change. I then made phone calls to every staff member and guest with texting and calling circles.

We then loaded the car with the DJ setup and gear we bring to ABSOLUTION and burned rubber down to UC87. I analyzed the new room and performed all the duties which get us ready for guest to arrive. I then got back in the car and went to Fontanas, opting to give up my DJ slot in order to catch people who didn't get the word about the venue change and tell them where we were tonight- luckily only about 5 blocks away in the same section of the city, walking distance.

The entire time I was doing all this I felt no tiredness or anxiety, just following the steps that were necessary. But when I got back to UC87 and was sitting comfortably with a drink in hand surrounded by the party, I then almost slumped over from the delayed anxiety reaction of having the venue changed at the last minute. This is often how it works for me, I can perform like an automaton when there is a crisis but when everything is ok again that's when I feel it.

UC87 upstairs turned out to be a great place to have a party. They have a mini laser lighting setup which has a beautiful effect on fog, and the space is long and dark with lots of comfortable nooks to sit in, with a dance floor at the end of the space, the DJ booth on a raised platform by the dance floor surrounded by clear glass. I met some great new people who came out for the first time who had a really good time. I had a lot of fun dancing, and the drinks were good for the price and came in large, pretty glasses. Not bad for a quick save.

In this business you must be prepared for anything to come your way. When working with people you must keep in mind, they are not perfect. Mistakes will be made, but with quick thinking and experience(and good luck!) all obstacles can be surmounted. We are dedicated to bringing you the best club experience possible, and we thank you for the comradery and support you have shown us in this Holiday season.